


Tell me, is something wrong

by AngstingQueen



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Platonic Relationships, Platonic Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:48:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24447580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngstingQueen/pseuds/AngstingQueen
Summary: Four soulmates. A copper frying pan, a silver sword, a golden sun, and purple goggles. Throughout each of their lives, their soulmates have been there, able to touch and guide.Chapter 1- CassandraChapter 2- EugeneChapter 3- RapunzelChapter 4- VarianChapter 5- Together
Relationships: Cassandra & Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider (Disney), Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Cassandra & Varian (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Lance Strongbow, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Rapunzel, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, No Romantic Relationship(s), Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 135





	1. Cassandra

**Author's Note:**

> Soulmate AU!! No romantic relationships here friends. Just relax and enjoy some good old fluff. With some angst. I have to stay true to myself after all. Comments are very encouraged!!

Cassandra was in her father’s hug in her cottage when she first felt her soulmates’ touch. A warm hand on her shoulder and a rough hand on her bicep. A slightly scarred hand rested on her cheek, rubbing circles as she cried.

She named them after the textures of their hands. Warm was always trying to hug her before Cassandra set a firm boundary. Only sometimes, she said. Warm had bopped her nose once as a sign of understanding. Rough liked to help her with her training, fixing her posture and kissing her bruises softly. He was there for her when she was hurt, carding his fingers through her wavy hair in reassurance. Scarred was there for when her anger got the best of her, when she wanted to rage and hurt those around her. He was there to trace patterns on her skin to help her calm down, always tugging her towards her dad’s room to apologize after a fight. 

They were her soulmates. Her golden sun, her brown pan, her purple goggles. Her first friends, her family. Cassandra had panicked when she realized that she didn’t love them romantically, like the stories said she should feel. Dad was quick to place her fears to rest. You do love them. He said, maneuvering her ankle onto his lap, tracing the marks. Soulmates don’t have to be your girlfriend or your boyfriend. They can be your brother or your sister. No romance needed. Her soulmates traced the marks together, the textures overlapping occasionally as they comforted her.

\-----------

Cassandra screamed, slashing at the dummy angrily as she seethed. How dare her dad tell her she had to wear dresses now. There had never been a problem when she had worn pants and stolen his old shirts to wear. Social demands be damned. She raged, tearing the poor training dummy back into bunches of straw. Scarred rested a hand against her neck, sweeping her hair out of her face as she rolled through her tantrum. 

Cassandra panted, scowling deeply at the remains of the straw dummy. She stalked away, Warm’s hand never left her neck as he went with her back to her room. She passed Owl, not even bothering to give her pet a pat as she collapsed into her bed with a cry. Cassandra hugged her pillow to her chest, ranting out loud to a soulmate who could not reply. 

Warm rubbed her arm, as she trembled with the weight of her emotions. Her movement remained calm and slow until she calmed down. 

Warm abruptly took her hand, pulling on it. Cassandra grumbled but stood, letting her soulmate drag her across her room. She brought her to her mirror. Cassandra felt her face flush with renewed anger.

“Really? This is what you want to show me? I like wearing these clothes!” Warm took her hand and used it to gesture around the room. She then traced her soulmarks and then Warm take her hand again and twirl her. She let out a laugh. “Okay, okay I got it.” 

Warm tugged at her hand again.

“Right, apologizing time. Jeez you’re starting to sound like Scarred ya know.” Warm tickled her arm before tugging her to the door. 

\-----------------

Cassandra felt her dad’s gaze from the other side of the training room, while dread creeped up her arms. She stuttered in her motions. Dad left the training area. Cassandra let herself fall to the floor with tears pushing against her eyes. 

Cassandra wanted to stay on the dirty ground forever, to let the earth swallow her whole and take away this disappointment in herself. Rough tugged on her arm.  _ Get up.  _ He seemed to say.  _ Get up! _

Cassandra let her soulmate pull her to her feet, nudging her into a fighting stance gently. Cassandra huffed her hair out of her face and began again. 

This time, Rough was with her, watching her practice and move. He adjusted her stances and thrusts when she needed it. Rough clapped her shoulder when she managed to do a slash perfectly. 

Rough gave her a tight squeeze around the shoulders when she put away her training sword. He lifted her chin up and pulled her shoulders back.  _ Be confident in yourself.  _ Rough showed her. Cassandra held her head high. 

\-----------

When Cassandra found Warm, Rough was right there with her. Warm turned out to be the Lost Princess, choppy brown hair and bare feet. Rapunzel was a whirlwind of cheer, making friends with everyone in the castle. When Rapunzel figured out that Cassandra was one of her soulmates, she thought that made them friends right away. Cassandra was quick to brush her off, but Rapunzel persisted. The princess grew on her. Slowly.

Rough was another story. Her teacher soulmate turned out to be the thief named Flynn Rider. Cassandra had seethed and refused to call the criminal by his real name for the longest time, avoiding him whenever she could. 

It wasn’t until the threat of Varian that their relationship turned for the better. Eugene and Cassandra could bond over their love of Rapunzel and their desire to see her happy. To Cass’s delight, the teasing between them went from hurtful to fun. Cassandra could be herself around her soulmates. They had just gotten the bars off Rapunzel’s window and her on the ground.

“Goggles better be way more mellow than you two or I may lose my mind.” Cassandra remarked, seeing a smile stretch across their faces at the thought of their fourth soulmate.

_ “Citizens of Corona.”  _ Cassandra scowled.

\-----------

The scream that echoed from the boy who she had considered a friend hurt in a way she couldn’t describe. It was filled with anguish and frustration. The sound of it caused a sharp emotion to swirl in her gut, feelings as though she shouldn’t be pulling the alchemist from the remains of his automaton.

Scarred, the last soulmate she had yet to meet, placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her steady as Varian was cuffed and stuffed into the cart. Scarred kept her standing strong as Varian’s steely gaze cut through her, sharp enough to cut through her anger and pain. Scarred felt her stumble when she walked forward to the medic, so he draped a thin arm over her shoulders, pressing against her side as he helped her over. 

Scarred held her hand as her middle was inspected for any broken ribs. The diagnosis was two cracked ribs and a bunch of bruised ones. Scarred squeezed her hand as Rapunzel and Eugene offered their comfort with their presence. 

“Maybe we’ll find him.” No one needed to elaborate. “While we’re out there. Maybe he doesn’t live in Corona. We can take him back with us, exchanging stories and our culture.” Rapunzel tried for a smile, taking the hand that Scarred was holding. Eugene took Cassandra’s other hand slowly, giving her time to pull away. She didn’t.

Scarred wrapped his arms around their shoulders and the three cuddled together on the back to the medical wagon. The missing soulmate held them in place as the wagon rumbled over the debris back to the castle. 

\--------

Cassandra ran a brush through Rapunzel’s hair while the princess painted in her journal. The group was set to leave the day after tomorrow and Cass wanted some alone time with her warm soulmate before the journey. Rapunzel was nervous, twirling her paintbrush as she studied her painting, looking for places to add to. Cass snuck a glimpse over her shoulder. Rapunzel was painting a picture of Varian, his face warped in grief, as he sat collapsed against the shining amber that incased his dad. 

Rapunzel felt guilty about the situation, regardless of the assurances her soulmates tried to give her. Rapunzel had confided in Cassandra that Scarred, who the princess called Friend, hadn’t let her side since. Their fourth soulmate had appeared at her side in the tunnels, guiding her through the Varian’s lab.

Cassandra felt smug in the knowledge that Scarred was on her side in the argument that was the tiny alchemist. 

Rapunzel confessed that Scarred seemed upset during the time with Varian. He had held her tightly when she felt her life draining from her and into the amber. Scarred had supported her when Rapunzel stood up to Varian. 

“Scarred, that’s who I called Goggles, was there with me too. He warned me with taps and nudges where Varian’s automatons were coming from. He held my hand when Varian was crushing me.”

“Goggles was with me too.” Eugene remarked from the door, ignoring Cass’s irritated look. “He seems scared for us.” Rapunzel nodded, the hair in Cassandra's hand moved with her motions. 

“I wonder if he would feel bad for Varian too.” Rapunzel mused, placing her paintbrush into a nearby pot before passing the journal to Eugene. 

Cass watched Eugene study it, expressions crossing across her soulmates face before turning into a smooth indifferent mask. 

“I don’t know, Blonde. I don’t know.” Eugene rubbed at his heart, where his soulmarks curled. Cassandra frowned, glancing at her ankle before continuing to brush through Rapunzel’s hair.

\----------

When Cassandra met the blue ghost girl, Scarred was there trying to nudge her away from the girl. She had helped Cassandra remember her mother! She couldn't be bad. Scarred was just nervous to trust the blue girl that was all. Cass reasoned. 

When they reached the Moondrop’s chamber, Cassandra felt Scarred desperately tugging her away from the stone, trying to stop her from claiming her destiny. She shoved him away before joining her other soulmates on the path. 

Eugene and Rapunzel wouldn’t understand, Cass knew that. Scarred seemed to realize that too, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing before letting go. Letting her make her own decision. 

Cassandra stole the Moonstone, feeling the power arch through her body. Scarred was there to keep her steady, guiding the hand that held the Moonstone to her chest, helping Cass keep the strain of the power until she could get used to it. 

Cassandra ignored Rapunzel’s shouts and Eugene’s yells of frustrations. Scarred was there holding her hand. She didn’t need all three of her soulmates. Cass could settle with just one. Scarred continued to hold her hand as she hit Eugene with a burst of lightning. He stayed even as Rapunzel pleaded with her. Scarred tightened his grip when she broke the bridge of rocks and left the Princess behind.

\-----------

Scarred was a welcome difference to the blue girl’s teachings. He kept her company during the bought without the girl and helped her keep her cool during the times when Blueberry was around. 

Scarred never tried to pull her back to Corona, the way that Rapunzel always did. Rapunzel tugged and tugged until Cassandra got used to ignoring the Princess’s touches. Eugene had at first hit her arm, railing against her in rage before he joined Rapunzel in trying to convince her to return. 

Scarred never tried to tell her what she should be doing. He never tried to tug her away from the Blueberry girl or touch the Moonstone like the others did. Cassandra felt somewhat grateful but at the same time she wanted Scarred to guide her to him.

“Come on Scarred.” Cassandra focused her gaze on the armored ankles, touching the spot where those purple goggles sat. “Blueberry’s not here. I want to find you.” Cass felt tears blurring her vision. “You’re on my side right? I really need you right now.” Scarred placed his hand over her own, squeezing it gently. 

“Please. Find me. You can help me. Soulmate’s are a part of one’s destiny right? I need you to complete me.” Cassandra pleaded, ignoring the other two marks that she knew rested beneath Scarred’s. 

Suddenly Cassandra felt a sharp pain in her ankle and Scarred’s hand disappeared. She frantically removed the rock armor from her ankle and pulled the brown pant leg up. 

Her beloved purple goggles flickered gray and purple. Scarred was fighting for his life. Scarred was hurt. Cassandra felt panic race over her form. 

A rumble shook the earth as a glowing red rock burst from the ground. Cassandra scrambled back in surprise.

“The Moonstone reacts to all your emotions.” Blueberry sounded from behind her. “Even fear.” Cassandra traced the goggles as Scarred fought for his life. He must be hurt somewhere beyond her reach. Cassandra lifted her gaze to the red rock in thought. 

Maybe she could use the rocks to find Scarred. Cassandra placed her hands against the rocks to try to bend them to her will.  _ Find my soulmate.  _ She tried to tell it. The rocks sprouted up and away from her. Cassandra continued to try to make the rocks respond when she felt Rapunzel on the other side of the rocks. Her fear rocks sneak back into the earth. Cassandra screamed and felt Scarred run his fingers through her hair. 

“Do you see now? Rapunzel has the power to take this from you. You cannot let her.” Cassandra felt the mark on her ankle return to normal. 

“Okay. I need to destroy Rapunzel.” Cassandra agreed. She only really needed one soulmate anyway. Scarred would be more than enough. 


	2. Eugene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene time baby.

Eugene was only seven. He didn’t want soulmates. Eugene knew no one would stay with an orphan without friends. He traced the soulmarks that circled his heart. The sun, the sword, and the goggles. His supposed soulmates. Eugene scowled before grabbing his knife. He pressed it against the goggles first. Someone touched his arm softly. 

“Which one are you?” Eugene scoffed but froze when they tapped the goggles he was about to scrape from his flesh. Eugene stalled when he felt two other hands press their respective marks. Cold fingers touch the sword while warm hands touch the sun. “Wonderful.” Sun pulled at the hand holding the knife. Sword did nothing. Goggles traced his (Goggles was definitely a boy.) “Listen. I’m not going to seek you out. Considering you’re here now though, I suppose we do meet long enough to touch blood. I’m not seeking you out.” Goggles tapped his arm in understanding.

Eugene never tried to scrape off his soulmarks again. Sword gave him a pat on the head for that. Eugene pretended not to care.

\-----------

Eugene’s stomach grumbled. He didn’t want to steal but to ensure Arnwaldo got enough food, he was going to have to. Sword didn’t seem to be pleased with his decision but she didn’t try to stop him. 

Eugene was about to swipe food from the lady when Sun touched his arm. She guided him away from the old lady to the apple stall. Eugene stared at the apples silently in thought. It would be easier to steal from the vendors, who had loads of produce to keep track of than a silly lady who stumbled as she walked. Eugene stole three apples, tucking them inside his shirt. 

“HEY!” The apple vendor shouted. Eugene did not react at Sun’s insistence. She turned his shoulder to the stall filled with paints. The vendor marched past him to a different man. Eugene let out a quiet sigh of thanks before making his way back to the orphanage.

They could help him, but he wasn’t going to look for them at all.

\-------

Sword warned him of danger. She would gently tap the inside of his right wrist for danger and the left wrist for safe. Eugene had waved goodbye to Arnwaldo when he felt Sword tap his right wrist. Eugene frowned. 

“You there!” A silver chested guard stopped him in the market. Sword tapped again. Eugene felt himself tense before he forced himself to relax.

“Is something wrong?” The thirteen year old gazed up at the man with wide eyes. Eugene was very good at pretending to be in awe of someone to get them off his back. 

“What’s your name kid?” Eugene paused feeling Sword tap his right wrist again. He scrambled for a name before blurting out.

“Flynn Rider.” Eugene inwardly cursed as he felt Sword hit his shoulder. The guard frowned. Eugene felt his head whip to the side as the man backhanded him.

Eugene tumbled backwards, his surprise genuine. Sword stood in front of him, pressing her back against his chest as if she could block the man’s blows with her incorporeal body. 

“Show some damn respect! Where are your parents?” Eugene shut his mouth with an audible click. Sword pressed against his chest harder.

“I’m an orphan.” Eugene snapped before he could stop himself. The man suddenly grinned wide.

“Guess I’m the lucky adult who’s going to teach you some proper manners.” The guard cracked his knuckles as he closed in on the boy. Eugene frantically looked around at the dead end he found himself in. Sword’s shoulders stretched as if she had thrown her arms out to cover Eugene with her body. 

The man beat Eugene black and blue. Sword was there the whole time, keeping him upright as the unnamed guard punched and kicked at him with ferocity. It was after the man had stumbled off that Sword lowered him to the ground. She pressed her cold hands against the black eye that was forming. Goggles rubbed his arm gently while Sun placed a kiss on every single bruise. 

Sword helped him all the way back to the orphanage, leading him to his friend’s capable hands. Sword ruffed his hair before leaving.

\---------

Eugene was finally eighteen and was allowed to leave the orphanage behind. He stuck together with Arnwaldo under their matching pseudonyms before one caper went wrong. Arnwaldo got caught and promptly thrown into jail. 

The two brothers had made a pact that if one got incarcerated, the other would continue without them. It had been a hard pact to make but Sword had tapped his left wrist. Eugene had accepted it.

It didn’t make it any easier to skip town, knowingly leaving his brother behind. 

He wandered for a while. Before Eugene knew it, winter was upon him. Eugene didn’t have enough coin to find an inn with an open room even for a single night. So Eugene wrapped his arms tight around his knees, huddled under the thin cotton blanket he had swiped from a passing mother. 

Sun pressed against his side and opened her arms into a huge hug. She radiated warmth like a furnace, warming his body with her own. Eugene found himself leaning into it with a sigh, his breath floating up and away as he shivered. 

Sun was always there that winter, pressed against his body to provide warmth. She perhaps was the reason Eugene managed to survive that cold cold winter. When they meet, (which happened at some point. It was the only way for her to present now.), Eugene ought to thank her for keeping him from freezing to death. 

Sun squeezed him tighter.

\--------

Eugene wasn’t very happy to be on this caper with the Stabbingten Brothers, so when the chance came to leave them behind, he didn’t hesitate. Eugene left them behind with a laugh, accompanied with a touch from Goggles.

Eugene stole the Captain’s horse. He kicked the man off fair and square, but the horse didn’t listen. Eugene could feel Goggles’s shaking back pressed against his own from where he was pressed against Eugene’s back on the horse. Goggles was laughing at him as Eugene valiantly tried to keep a horse from ruining the most important heist he had ever pulled.

Eugene had barely stood up before Goggles was nudging him backwards. Eugene stumbled back, reaching for the ivy-covered wall behind him for stability before nearly falling through the vine. Eugene heard the horse stomping closer so he hid behind the hanging leaves in time to see the horse’s shadow pause before continuing. 

Eugene traveled through the weird alcove to find a tower settled in a small cut of meadow. It looked abandoned, the base slightly crumbling. Eugene circled the base, looking for the entrance before Goggles tilted his head up to the window. 

“How the fuck am I supposed to get up there then?” Goggles traced a shape onto his arm. Arrows huh? Eugene surveyed the cobblestone before nodding his head. It would work. 

Eugene had managed to close the window behind him with a sigh. Goggles touched the back of his head while Eugene opened the satchel with a smirk.

“Alone at last.”

**_CLANG_ **

\-------

Eugene awoke to something slimy in his ear. He startled, knocking whatever it was onto the floor as he rubbed his ear against his shoulders.

Yucky. Goggles touched the back of his gingerly. Yeah thanks a lot. Eugene grumbled, feeling Sword nudging his head to focus on his bindings.

“Is this hair?” Eugene wondered out loud, tugging on the binds confused.

“Struggling- Struggling is pointless!” Eugene raised an eyebrow at the obvious attempt at confidence. A series of thumps sounded before a small woman stepped into the sunlight. 

Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, trekking all across the room before it winded around his chest, arms, and legs. Eugene took in a button nose splashed with freckles and bright green eyes. 

The blonde girl was holding his satchel hostage so he would take her to see the lanterns. Eugene had agreed after she had knocked him out the second time. He climbed down while Rapunzel, he learned her name was, jumped out the window using her hair as a rope. 

She was different from the other girls he had met, impossible to swoon or lead to bed. Not that Eugene really wanted to anymore, as Rapunzel danced around the sunshine as if she never had before. Eugene rolled his eyes and followed her, watching her throw leaves into the air and dance. 

\------------

It wasn’t until after they had nearly drowned together that Eugene found out that Rapunzel was his Sun. He had cut his hand on a rock when he was scrambling to get out of the rapidly filling cave.

Eugene sat, comforted by Sword of all soulmates, while Rapunzel wrapped her magic glowing hair, that wasn’t currently glowing, around his injured hand. The frog looked smug about the whole affair. 

Then Rapunzel began to sing. The glowing from the cave tracked lazily down from her scalp, moving across the golden hair stren about the clearing before reaching his palm. THe warmth he usually felt with Sun traveled up his arm and to his heart. 

Rapunzel’s eyelashes cast shadows over her cheeks, the lines of her face being highlighted by the soft golden light glowing from her hair. Rapunzel was ethereal. 

Rapunzel opened her eyes slowly, studying his face. Eugene raised a shaky hand and unwrapped the other one. Unblemished skin was revealed. Eugene opened his mouth.

“Please don’t freak out!” Rapunzel cut him off. 

“Freaking out? Who’s freaking out, I’m just wondering how long your hair has had those magical properties.” Eugene stuttered, placing his chin into his healed palm.

“My whole life? Once it's cut, it loses its power, turning brown.” Rapunzel brushed her hair aside, revealing a single brown lock of hair as well as her soulmarks. Eugene was shocked to see a familiar pair of purple goggles and a silver sword resting there. “Mother says that people tried to cut my hair to take my gift for their own so-”

“So you never left the tower.” Eugene finished, feeling slightly faint. Sword nudged him. “What about your soulmates? Don’t you want to go find them?” Rapunzel shifted with a frown.

“I didn’t before. I had Mother so I never needed anyone else but now, now I’m not sure.” Rapunzel answered, picking up Pascal.

“I think you’re my soulmate.”

\-------

It turned out he was right, so after the whole, dying and being brought back to life, Rapunzel and Eugene shared blood. They experienced each other’s lives and offered comfort during those times.

Eugene was slightly sad, knowing that Rapunzel would be determined to find the other two. Somehow he felt like he should learn to cherish Rapunzel before having to share her. Goggles smacked his arm while Sword cuffed his ear.

Eugene ended up having to share Rapunzel with not only her birth parents but with an entire kingdom as well. 

Eugene found that he didn’t mind as much as he had thought.

\------------

Learning how to love Cassandra, after it was figured out that she was Sword, was very difficult. Eugene had tried at first but after the first couple jabs, he retaliated. Rapunzel hadn’t been happy about it, but Goggles had gently nudged him onwards.

Cass and Eugene’s bantering turned fond over the two years of getting to know each other. They decided to share blood after a couple months outside of Corona. 

Strangely, they managed to bond over being orphans. Eugene learned how to love Cassandra and was somewhat excited to learn how to love Goggles, when he was found.

That excitement to finally find the last soulmate was shared between all three of them. No longer would their bed seem too big, or the cuddle pile too cold. Eugene was actually looking for this soulmate, alongside Rapunzel and Cass.

After Cassandra’s betrayal, neither Rapunzel or Eugene wanted to find Goggles anymore. It wouldn’t be right, they thought, to finally get to know someone they had been coming up with theories about without Cass. Eugene stopped looking again. 

Goggles gave him a tight hug that night, while Rapunzel slept in his arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was slightly difficult to start this chapter, but as soon as I got going it became a lot easier. I recommend listening to Sleeping at Last albums while reading this story. It really sets the mood, you know?


	3. Rapunzel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's names for her soulmates were really hard to think up to be honest.

Mother did not try to lie to her about her soulmarks. She sat Rapunzel down and drew the marks on paper. From Mother’s quill three beautiful shapes appeared. First a shape that resembled the pan that hung in the kitchen. Then a sword that looked like her picture books. A new shape that Rapunzel didn’t know the name of.

“Mother? What’s that?” Rapunzel pointed at the third shape. Mother briefly frowned before smiling gently. 

“Those are goggles dear.” Mother brushed Rapunzel’s hair behind her ear. “Now flower, I need you to promise me that you won’t go outside to look for them. It’s not safe for you. We don’t want your soulmates to go through the pain of losing a love, do you?” Mother studied her face. 

“Of course not!” Rapunzel blurted, before fiddling with the edge of the paper. “I just…” Mother laughed.

“I know dear. I know. I promise I’ll keep an eye out for them. I may not be able to recognise them without a reference, but I’ll do my very best.” Rapunzel stared at the marks before thrusting them into her mother’s hands. 

“You take it. I have my own copy anyway.” Rapunzel said, twirling away and going to grab her brush and Mother’s chair. 

Mother smiled before throwing the paper into the fireplace without remorse.

\--------

Rapunzel was playing nearby the window when a pair of cold hands brushed against her shoulder. Rapunzel whipped her head around, frantically searching for the source. The cold hands touched her shoulder again, pulling Rapunzel to the window in time to catch Mother arriving at the base. 

Rapunzel waved down to her before rushing to clean up her mess. The trapdoor opened as Rapunzel managed to find the brush. She greeted Mother, giving her the brush and settling down to sing. 

Rapunzel loved to sing for her Mother, it always seemed to perk the women up and into a good mood. Rapunzel sang softly, feeling one of her soulmates take her hand gently. It was the cold soulmate, who was always warning her when a candle was placed too close to the drapes, or when Mother was nearly home. She was a Hero, like the one in the stories Mother used to tell her. 

Although, Rapunzel knew that Hero wouldn’t fail in her quest. Hero was her helper, able to keep Mother happy and calm. Hero was quick to stop Rapunzel from making mistakes that Mother would be furious over. Hero couldn’t save her every time, as Mother swung from mood to mood unpredictably, causing Rapunzel to get in trouble over meaningless things. Such as burning the muffins Mother would never eat.

It was okay though, Mother loved her and Rapunzel loved Mother. (Rapunzel was content to ignore Hero when she tried to stop Mother from placing a kiss on her temple.) Mother would never mean to hurt Rapunzel. Hero had nothing to worry about.

\------------

Don’t tell Rapunzel’s other soulmates but Prince was her quickly becoming her favorite soulmate. He was a lot bigger than her, able to wrap her up in a suffocating hug whenever Mother didn’t allow one. Prince was gentle with her, tickling her sides when Rapunzel was in trouble with Mother and kissing away any scrapes she got from the rafters. 

Prince was the one to guide her up there, showing her how to bounce around from beam to beam, which quickly became one of Rapunzel’s favorite pastimes. 

Prince also didn’t seem to like Mother that much, trying to tug Rapunzel away from Mother’s open arms. He listened when Rapunzel told him to stop, insisting that she should always accept Mother’s hugs. After all, they were hard to come by.

“Rapunzel~” Mother sing-songed from the kitchen. Rapunzel leapt out of Prince’s hug, racing out of her room. Mother was placing her traveling basket on the table when Rapunzel barreled into her. Mother laughed, brushing her daughter off as she dug around in the basket. “I didn’t find your soulmates this time flower, but I did manage to get my hands on these!” Mother held out a slightly beat up pair of goggles. Rapunzel blushed and accepted them with a large grin. 

“Thank you, thank you!” Rapunzel danced around her mother, running her hands over the texture of the metal. Mother smiled, patting her head.

“Mother’s feeling a little down, would you be a dear and sing for me?” Rapunzel nodded frantically, shrugging Prince’s hand off her shoulder and running to the fireplace.

\-------------

Rapunzel grunted as she pushed aside her dresser, a paintbrush between her teeth. Rapunzel decided she was going to try to paint her soulmates. Mother was going to be out for three days while she got the paints Rapunzel asked for her birthday. Mother would be very upset to learn what Rapunzel was doing but Rapunzel found she didn’t really mind all that much. 

Rapunzel twirled her paintbrush in her hand, tickling Pascal with the hair as it brushed against the camoelean’s face. She giggled and tipped the paintbrush into the jar of paint with a smile. Baby rested against her side as Rapunzel let strokes flow across her canvas. 

She painted Prince first, a large smiley man with slightly sharp teeth that Mother said men had. She gave him short brown hair and broad shoulders. Rapunzel decided to paint his shirt the same copper as her frying pan since she didn’t know what his favorite color would be. Oh she couldn’t wait to find out!

Rapunzel painted Hero next, deciding to style the girl like her mother since Rapunzel couldn’t imagine someone else. She only knew Mother after all. Rapunzel made Hero’s hair cascade down her shoulders, a dark brown that waved and curled at random. Baby laughed, draping himself across her shoulders in an attempt to see the paintings better. 

Rapunzel’s tongue poked out of her lips as she moved onto Baby. She had been slightly worried when she never felt a third pair of hands but Baby appeared a few months ago out of the blue. Rapunzel styled him after herself, giving him freckles all over his face and blond hair that curled slightly over his ears. 

Her imagined soulmates grinned up at her, and Rapunzel cried. 

Rapunzel ended up painting over them the next day, shoving her dresser back into place with an unidentifiable emotion. 

\----------

Prince, who’s name turned out to be Eugene, found her first. He stumbled into her life with a joke and understanding. He saved her from Gothel, who turned out to be lying to Rapunzel for her whole life. 

Eugene led her back to her real parents while Rapunzel drew on strength from Hero and Baby, who never left her side. Rapunzel was grateful for their support, as Eugene was swept in and out of her day to day as Rapunzel was caught up on her life. 

Rapunzel turned out to be a princess straight out of the storybooks. A damsel in distress whose prince actually found and saved her. Something Gothel told her never happened. It took Rapunzel a long time to be able to not tense up anytime Queen Arianna entered the same room.

The queen caught on very quickly, never straying too close even though the desire to sweep her baby girl up into her arms was present on her face. Rapunzel felt slightly guilty but Baby rubbed her arm soothingly as Queen Arianna tried to make small talk, wanting to get to know her daughter that grew up eighteen years without her.

It took both Hero and Baby to convince Rapunzel that she was safe within the castle. That Gothel wouldn’t be waiting around the corner to take her back to the tower in chains. It was Baby’s hand on her neck that convinced Rapunzel to get the mirror shard haircut fixed a little. She made sure that the hairdresser bared her soulmarks for the whole world to see.

Arianna loved them, expressing her love over the marks, telling Rapunzel that they were beautiful. She went even far enough to commission an artist to paint them for her daughter. Rapunzel hung the painting up next to her desk, so Rapunzel could gaze on the rendering whenever she wanted to. 

Rapunzel finally felt comfortable to call Arianna, Mom, which caused the woman to well up in tears. At Baby’s gentle nudging, Rapunzel gave her mom a large hug, politely ignoring the tears soaking into her dress.

\-----------

Rapunzel was estantic to learn that her handmaiden, Cass, turned out to be her Hero. Cass was nothing like Rapunzel was expecting, brash and demeaning at times. Oh how Rapunzel loved the woman as the short choppy hair bounced as Cass practiced in the training area. 

Cass wasn’t afraid to hold back around Rapunzel, displaying her personality as boldly as she could. Rapunzel loved that Cass didn’t try to play nice with her, Cass didn’t walk around eggshells with her. Rapunzel soaked up Cass’s attention like a sponge, enjoying every moment they spent together. 

It was nearly perfect, Eugene and Cass at her side, physical and there, primed for hugging whenever Rapunzel desired. It was a cold day, where Rapunzel and her soulmates cuddled together in front of the fire, but someone was missing.

Rapunzel shifted, feeling strangely cold even with the fire and the soulmates at her side. Her arms ached, as if she should be holding someone draped across her lap.

“He should be here.” Eugene remarked, tightening his grip around the ladies. Cass hummed in agreement, rubbing her ankle. Baby, the purple goggles that marked all three of their bodies, had yet to be found. Baby, the thin boy who Rapunzel loved with all her heart, wasn’t there to join in on the cuddle party. Rapunzel knew his spirit was nearby, watching the three soulmates miss someone they hadn’t even met yet. 

“We’ll find him.” Cass spoke with determination, making eye contact with Eugene first than with Rapunzel. “We’ll find him and we’ll be together here in the castle.” 

“The four of us will go on picnics in the garden.” Rapunzel mused, closing her eyes and imagining the picture they were painting. “I’ll play in the fountain with him, while you and Eugene will sigh and rest on the blanket. We’ll go on hikes together, exploring nature and just enjoying each other’s company.” 

“It’ll be perfect.” Cass muttered at Rapunzel’s side.

\-------------

Baby was always present around Varian. Rapunzel felt his hand on her shoulder every time the little alchemist would smile up and her. Rapunzel didn’t quite understand why Baby was there while she hung out with Varian but accepted his presence all the same. 

Something changed after the storm. Baby suddenly vanished, leaving Rapunzel to fall under the painter’s spell and make mistake after mistake. Baby did not warn her of anything, letting her trip up again and again. 

Baby returned after she met up with Varian again, sneaking around in the tunnels searching for the royal fault. He warned Rapunzel of every trap, guiding her in saving Varian often. Baby’s hand never left her shoulder when Rapunzel found the sundrop flower. It sat plain and decayed in its little alcove, unassuming. 

Baby was with her when Varian betrayed her. Rapunzel trembled as Varian spoke down to her, rolling his eyes demeaningly and smirking the whole while.

“I used you, Rapunzel. It had to be this way.” Varian declared, a self-righteous glaze over his eyes. Rapunzel let Baby steady her as she tried to convince Varian to stop but the little alchemist refused. 

Rapunzel cried in her soulmates arms, feeling Baby running his fingers through her hair soothingly. 

\-----------

Baby was there when Cassandra, Rapunzel’s Hero, betrayed her, stealing the Moonstone for herself. Varian’s face briefly flashed over Cass’s as the woman glared down at Rapunzel. Baby stayed with her as Rapunzel tried so hard to get Cassandra to stop and think for a moment. He was there when Cassandra disappeared from view.

Rapunzel sobbed on the remains on the rock bridge, feeling Baby’s thin arms wrap around her shoulders in a hug. Baby rubbed circles on her back as Rapunzel mourned the loss of a second friend. 

Baby only left when Eugene came to sweep her into his chest, letting Rapunzel hear his heartbeat’s rhythm. Eugene murmured reassurances and promises to her as Rapunzel cried.

Baby tugged her shoulder after Eugene left to check on the other’s. He dragged Rapunzel to her feet, pushing her back to the Dark Kingdom doors. Baby pushed her forward when Rapunzel couldn’t do it herself. Baby stayed while Cassandra left. 

Maybe Baby would be easier to handle than her other soulmates after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Varian's chapter next!!!


	4. Varian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian's chapter was actually the first one I wrote.

Varian is young, when it happens. He was young enough that he shouldn’t have remembered it, but he did. His father was in the kitchen and Varian was in his room playing with his toys. He was startled by a crash coming from downstairs. Varian raced toward the sound. His dad stood with a hand over his mouth. Mom’s teapot sat shattered on the floor. She was going to be so mad when she got home.

Dad howled. It was a retched sound, one that brought dread coiling in his stomach and fear pooling in his heart. Tears gathered in his eyes as his dad collapsed onto his knees, shaking. Varian stepped forward cautiously when he saw a peak of his dad’s soulmarks that rested on the man’s collar. The vial that represented his mama was gray and dulled. 

“Daddy?” Varian whimpered, slow realization creeping over his heart. He felt Protector’s arms wrap around his skinny chest, Brother carded his fingers through his hair, and Sunshine’s warm hands cupped his face, thumbs circling as if to brush away his tears. Varian watched his dad cry in the shards of his mom’s teapot. Varian pressed against his papa’s side. Dad scooped him up into a hug, crying into his hair. Dad’s chest stuttered and wheezed as tears wet Varian’s hair. Brother scratched at his scalp once more before hugging his head into his chest. Sunshine placed a kiss on his forehead and tried to wipe away the tears even more frantically than before. Protector stayed steady, tightening her grip on his trembling form. 

His dad tried to explain through his tears. Varian knew. He knew that Papa’s other soulmates knew and were grieving with him, separated as they were. Varian traced his mama’s vial, knowing when he woke tomorrow Daddy would have a bandage there instead. Varian knew that it would never glow its green hue again. Varian just hugged his dad tighter, feeling his own soulmate press to his sides. 

It hurt, in the months afterwards, that Papa’s remaining two soulmates did not show up at their door. Papa smiled through it, the cotton on his collarbone staining a brilliant red that made Varian feel sickly. Protector was always there, pressing against his back, her strong steady presence made it easier to help his dad pack up his mom’s clothes. Brother was there, holding his hand through it all. Sunshine kissed his tears every time they slipped down his cheeks. 

Dad approached him one night, during the tradition of a song and tucking Varian’s blue blanket up to his chin. He gave his only son a big hug. Papa placed Mama’s favorite goggles over his head, tightening the straps. Varian pulled them down over his eyes, making a face at his dad to make him laugh. Papa only smiled sadly and kissed his forehead, leaving the room without remembering to tuck him in. Varian shoved the goggles up and out of the way, rolling to his side and curling up. His soulmates pressed up against his side all night. 

\----------

Varian was seven and he wasn’t where he was supposed to be. He sat in his mama’s chair, looking around the lab. There were reminders of Mama everywhere. Her handwriting was scratched across the papers that littered the walls. Her plans and experiments sat undone, waiting for someone who would never return. Varian rubbed his thumb along the curve of the goggles, feeling the smooth metal. Sunshine tapped the thumb gently. She then traced circles around his eyes. She tapped the thumb again. Varian got the message. He put on the goggles, sliding them over his face. Sunshine tugged his hand. Varian allowed her to lead him over to the desk. She placed his hand over his small gloves that Mama got for him when he expressed the desire to help her. Varian slipped on over his left hand before hesitating. He traced the sun, the pan, and the sword that rested along the back of his right hand. Sunshine pressed against the sun softly before placing a kiss against his head. Varian put the glove on and picked up one of his mom’s papers with determination.

\---------

Varian felt the cold hands of Protector brush against his shoulder. Varian instinctively glanced over it, eyes widening in fear as John and his friends stomped forward. Varian felt Protector push his back, telling Varian to run. Varian bolted, slipping between people as he did so, feeling Protector’s hand in his own, leading him away from the bullies. 

It wasn’t until Varian was safely tucked under his dad’s arm that Protector squeezed his hand before letting go. Varian murmured a soft thanks before pressing against his dad’s side. 

Protector was his savior at times, and when she wasn’t warning him of danger, Protector was there, hand on his shoulder for support when his papa yelled at him. Papa didn’t like to yell but Varian was a clumsy child with no interest in learning how to be a village leader. Varian was grateful for Protector’s steady hand.

\-------------

Brother was there right before he was about to do something stupid. Varian needed to make mistakes to learn from them, but Brother was always the one to help him get out of the mess Varian usually found himself in. 

Varian was sitting on the dock that stretched over the lake with his journal rested over his lap. Varian excitedly watched the fish swim around the crumbs he dropped in, recording their likeness in his journal. He knew Sunshine was an artist, as she usually was there to guide his hand over difficult parts that made him tear up but she was decidedly absent. Varian shrugged it off, before he was suddenly plunged into the icy cold water.

Varian let out a scream as he fell, his back aching from the weight behind the push. John was running away from the dock laughing his head off. Varian struggled, trying desperately to keep his head above the water. Varian didn’t quite know how to swim yet, sucking in water as well as air as he scrambled for the dock ladder.

Brother suddenly was there, guiding his arms and legs in a swimming motion, tugging him closer and closer to the ladder before Varian could grip the wood in his hands. Varian pulled himself up onto the dock, heaving water and his lunch up and out of his stomach. Varian felt Brother’s rough hands rubbing circles into his back as he vomited the lakewater onto the dock. Brother stayed with him, even when Papa came running over the hill to sweep him up into his strong arms. Brother stayed as he shakingly told Papa what happened. Papa only shook his head, telling him not to make up stories. Papa left Varian shivering on the dock. Brother gave him a hug, letting the  _ I believe you  _ flow through. 

\-----------

Varian was fourteen when he met Rapunzel, her hair was definitely as long as the stories said, but it was still a shock to see. Varian brushed off Cassie’s concerns about his machine, eyeing the sword strapped to her back when she was busy watching Rapunzel. 

“Don’t worry about me, Cass! Varian said it was fine and I’m inclined to trust him.” Rapunzel assured as Varian strapped her into his machine. Varian patted her shoulder with a smile.

“I know that Raps, but you’re my soulmate. I’m going to worry regardless.” Varian felt his spirits dim slightly, before shrugging it off. 

It wasn’t until Rapunzel’s hair was lifted off her neck that Varian caught a glimpse of her soulmarks. Varian immediately looked away out of respect when Rapunzel noticed. 

“Oh I don’t mind.” The Princess said, flitting a bound hand around. “I never really get a chance to see them anyway. It's kinda hard to angle mirrors to be able to see them.” Varian still averted his gaze, only sneaking peeks when he thought Cassie wasn’t watching him like a hawk. The Lost Princess had three soulmarks on the back of her neck. She had a silver sword that looked very familiar to Varian as well as a copper pan. Also on her neck rested a pair of goggles that were colored a rich purple. 

Varian assumed that the man who rescued her from the tower was one of the marks that rested there. Varian remembered his papa debating on going to the man who stole the Princess’s crown’s hanging before he decided against it. The man must have survived because all of the Princess's marks were brightly colored. 

\--------

Varian was abruptly reminded of his dad’s breakdown when his mother’s mark faded. He burst into the lab, slamming the door aside, swiftly turning around to close it against the chilling wind.

Varian whirled around, an explanation on his tongue when he stopped. His father’s face was twisted up in anguish, his arm stretched above his head, clutching a piece of parchment with the words, Dear Son etched in his dad’s familiar handwriting.

Varian rushed forward, banging his fist against the amber.

“No. NO. DAD! Dad, Daddy!” Varian cried, collapsing at the foot of his father’s prison with a final scream. Varian shook and sobbed, feeling his soulmates’ attempts to comfort him. Varian cried and cried.

Varian wondered morbidly if the pumpkin on his aunt’s belly and his uncle’s forearm was grey and dulled like his mama’s vial had been. Would they be like his father and cut the pumpkin away the night of or would they wait, giving Varian time to save his daddy before they removed the orange pumpkin from their skin forever. 

Varian ripped off his right glove, staring at his soulmarks with a last glaring hope. “Please. Please. If you’re here,” Varian sobbed, “Please find me. I can’t do this alone.” Varian felt his soulmates press harder against his sides.

They stayed with him as he cried at his father’s feet. They stayed when he ran out of tears to cry. They stayed as Varian frantically tried alchemy solution after alchemy solution. They stayed as Varian hopefully glanced to the door as the months passed, waiting for a blonde haired princess to burst through. They stayed as Varian realized that Rapunzel was never going to come fulfill her promise. 

They never came. Sunshine never walked through the door to brush away his tears for real. Brother never came to rest a real hand on his shoulder. Protector never came to sit beside him on the floor, to feel a real person there. They stayed but never came. 

Varian spoke to Ruddiger once about burning away his soulmarks. The raccoon only chirped in confusion, caracessing his boy’s face with his little hands as Varian cried over even considering it. Varian pulled his glove back on, vowing to never take it off again.

\--------

Rapunzel never came through his door, she crept through his trapdoor to surprise him and to save her mother. Rapunzel didn’t agree to help Varian until he threatened her mother. Rapunzel’s refusal to help until someone she loved was in danger solidified Varian’s idea that Sunshine was not Rapunzel as he had originally thought. It swept him in a confused mix of relief and sadness. 

Varian was loaded into the prison cart with handcuffs. Ruddiger, ever the loyal pet, hugged his shoulders. His soulmates remained absent as Varian swore to save his father no matter the price. At least Papa was there for him when he needed him. Varian scowled at the Princess’s heartbroken expression, watching her turn away to observe the rock path. Ignoring his plight once again. 

\----------

The guards took his gloves and goggles away. Varian wanted to fight them on it, but they had allowed Ruddiger to stay with him so far and Varian was grateful so he copareated. They took his leather apron that his dad had bought him when he realized Varian was serious about pursuing alchemy. 

Varian was shoved into a cell with an arrogant man, who was disgruntled at his mere presence before he realized who Varian truly was. 

The man, who introduced himself as Andrew, attempted to butter up to the boy, sympathising with Varian and expressing how intelligent the alchemist was at every turn. Varian had gotten very good at manipulating people into doing what he wants. Enough to recognise the signs when it was being used on him. 

Protector was there to squeeze his shoulder everytime Andrew lied. Varian accepted her help begrudgingly, stringing Andrew along to make him think he was in charge. Andrew had resources, Varian tried to explain to Brother who punched his arm every time he improved on Andrew’s plans. Sunshine was nearby but kept her distance, which Varian appreciated the first couple times, being reminded harshly of the time he believed her to be Rapunzel before knowing better. Varian didn’t get a single touch of Sunshine until Andrew hit a sore spot.

Varian made no outward reaction, but he seethed on the inside. Sunshine was suddenly holding his hand as he nodded along to Andrew’s tale. She was rubbing circles around the three marks on his hand, tracing her sun softly. Varian accepted the reassurance, letting Sunshine hold his hand throughout the night, listening together to the guard thumping footsteps.

\-----------

It wasn’t until after the blimp had been destroyed, Andrew and his friends under chain and key that Varian relaxed. The guard approached him cautiously. Varian merely rolled his eyes, removing his borrowed coat and bandana, placing them on the ground, and he removed his belt of alchemical supplies. He gave it to them with a huff of breath before refusing to give up his goggles and his gloves. Rapunzel convinced the guards to let him keep them for when they went to go free his dad. 

Rapunzel’s decay incantation had burned away his gloves when he went to shake her awake. He kept his hands to himself, while pleading the princess to awaken. When her pupils shrunk back down to normal size, he pulled her into a hug. Rapunzel returned it before Varian broke away. He ran and slid into his dad’s arms. He felt Sunshine at his right side and Brother on his left. Protector pressed against his back, leaning against him as he sobbed in his papa’s warm arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Varian is and always will be my baby. Although the next chapter is definitely going to be whump. Sorry not sorry.


	5. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finale. A special shout out to user ShayLaLaLooHoo for figuring it out before I could even start writing! ;)

Cassandra hesitated at the threshold, straining her ears to listen for Rapunzel’s voice. The Moonstone wielder had followed the princess, waiting for Rapunzel to lead her to the scroll. So far, Rapunzel hasn’t pulled it out at all. 

“Varian! You have the scroll.” Rapunzel’s relieved voice echoed through the chamber.

“Of course I do. It's taken me awhile to decipher it, but I've perfected this translation key.” The little alchemist’s voice followed. Cassandra had mixed feelings about the boy. On one hand, he tried to kill her. On the other, he knew how it felt to be betrayed by Rapunzel. If he hadn’t switched sides so quickly, Cassandra would have considered trying to recruit him for her cause. Cassandra shook her head to clear her thoughts to catch the end of Varian’s ramblings. 

“It tells of a fourth incantation. Which I’ve already found. I’m in the middle of translating it now. It looks like it’s another Sundrop incantation.” Varian mused. Cassandra slinked over to the top of the staircase to be able to see who was in the chamber. Varian was rubbing his chin thoughtfully while Rapunzel inspected his writings. Eugene and Lance were messing around with chemicals while Max laughed. 

“Your soulmate be very proud of you!” Rapunzel crowed.

“Soulmates. I haven't found them yet so…” Varian trailed off, fixing his collar. Cassandra took the moment to announce her presence. 

“Oh really?” Rapunzel smiled. “What do your soulmarks look like? Maybe I’ve seen them around!” 

“I know you lived in a tower for the majority of your life but someone should tell you that it’s considered very evasive to ask to see someone’s marks.” Cassandra smirked, tightening her grip on her shadow sword. 

Varian called out her name before Rapunzel cut him off. The princess ushered him to the side, pulling the scroll off the wall. Varian looked slightly upset. Eugene lunged forward, slicing down with his sword only for it to shatter upon her armor. 

“Her armor is made out of the rocks!” Eugene shouted, shock written on his face as he rolled away. Cassandra felt tears push against her eyes. Her soulmate didn’t know that his swipe wouldn’t have hurt her. Eugene had intended to strike her down. 

Cassandra growled, dispatching the men, and racing after Rapunzel. Varian threw himself behind a table. Cassandra ignored the boy for a moment, slicing at the strange machine in the center. It fell towards Eugene, Lance, and Max as they tried to recover. Rapunzel shoved the scroll under her arm and lassoed her hair around the machine, keeping it from crushing her friends. 

“Yoink!” Cassandra couldn’t help but say as she took the scroll from under her soulmates arm. Rapunzel grunted when the force of the machine tossed her in the air. Cassandra paid her no heed, stalking forward to where Varian sat, desperately mixing something in his hands. 

“Oh Varian~” Cassandra cut the table in half. Varian scrambled to his feet with a glowing beaker in hand. 

“You can’t read that scroll without my translation key.” He tossed it on the wall, the chemical melting away the translation key. “HA! Now that I’ve destroyed it, you’ll never be able to understand that scroll.” Varian said, putting on a brave front. Cassandra smirked. 

“Guess I’ll need you then.” Cassandra watched horror dawn on Varian’s face before she smashed the hilt of her sword into the boy’s head, catching him before he could crumble to the floor. Cassandra could hear Rapunzel’s voice in the distance before she escaped to her stolen horse with Varian hanging limp in her arms. 

\-------------

Cassandra had cursed Varian at least a dozen times now as she sorted through his jumbled mess of a bag. The only small blessing was that Varian seemed to have labeled the solutions in his bag. There was an alarming number of acids in the cloth bag. She pulled out the last bottle with a sigh, turning it over to read the label.

Truth Serum.

Cassandra grinned. She briefly thanked Varian’s paranoia and tilted his head up, pouring the serum down his throat. Cassandra dropped his head, watching it loll to the side. 

Varian had said he had more than one soulmate. There was no doubt in her mind that Varian’s soulmates had heard about his criminal spout. Cassandra felt a small bit of pity well up in her gut, Varian’s soulmates probably heard about him as the traitor not as their soulmate. Cassandra squashed the feeling down as Varian began to awake.

\------------

The serum worked wonders. Cassandra really had to hand it to past Varian. He knew how to get information out of a person and know it was the truth. Varian stumbled behind her as Cassandra dragged him up the stairs to her new tower. 

Cassandra waved her hand, moving a few rocks away to enter the main room of her tower. She pushed Varian forward into the room with a light shove. Varian still managed to nearly fall flat onto his face.

“I know you have nothing to do with this so until Rapunzel comes for you, don’t try anything funny.” Cassandra shattered the cuff encircling Varian’s wrists and moved away from the boy. 

“Cass, listen. I know what you’re going through, this is not the answer.” Cassandra huffed, rolling her eyes and ignoring Varian’s words. She stalked away from him as he pleaded with her. 

“Becoming the villain isn't the answer.” Cassandra whirled around it and met Varian wide blue eyes with a glare.

“Is that what you think I am? You should know better than anyone that I choose this path. Yes it may seem dark to you, but I know where it leads. You lost your nerve and you have no room to talk about being the villain.” 

Cassandra made a movement, pulling rocks from the floor to capture Varian’s wrists. She pulled the wrists together with a wave, securing Varian in place. Varian struggled, pulling at the rocks weakly. Cassandra scoffed. He knew nothing could break it, why bother. Varian’s movement became more and more desperate, tugging and pulling at the cuffs. His gloves began to be stained a darker color as he moved.

“For Sun’s sake, stop moving!” Cassandra growled, watching Varian continue his thrashing. Cassandra groaned and released his wrists from the rock. Varian recoiled, pulling his arms to his chest as he heaved in breaths. Cassandra was slightly shocked to see the tears welling up in his eyes.

“Give me your hands. I need to see what you’ve done to yourself.” Cassandra held out a hand, waiting for Varian to comply. He hesitated for a moment before giving her his left hand. Cassandra removed his glove slowly, revealing his hand and the cuts around his wrists. Cassandra grumbled, turning his hand over as she took in the pink scars that laid there. No doubt from his incarceration. Varian had torn open a bunch of cuts from a small blade of sorts. Cassandra ignored the uneasiness she felt and tore off his sleeve. 

“Hey!” Varian protested, watching her tear the cloth into smaller sections. Cassandra gave him a blank stare and gently wrapped the cloth around his wrist. She tied a sturdy knot before dropping the boy’s hand and reaching for the other one. Varian leaned backwards with a brief frown. Cassandra leveled him with a stare before he relented, giving her his right hand.

She pulled the glove off first, inspecting the damage before taking a strip and wrapping up this injury as well. She turned his hand palm down, tying another knot. Cassandra stopped at the sight of the soulmarks that rested on the back of his hand. 

Varian was looking away from the blood and didn’t catch the look that crossed Cassandra’s face. Her own silver sword looking up at her, sitting with Eugene’s copper pan and Rapunzel golden sun. Varian’s hands were familiar with the scarred texture, burns and cuts littering his palms from countless experiments. Varian was her third soulmate.

Cassandra dropped his hand numbly, watching Varian tuck his arms in, hiding the marks from view. She dragged her gaze up to meet Varian’s who stared at her with a poorly concealed self-pity in his eyes. 

“I know alright? I don’t deserve three soulmates. You can stop now!” Varian grounded out, marching over to the wall, sliding down until he met the floor with a huff. Cassandra watched as her soulmate, Scarred, Goggles, Baby, buried his face into his hands. He bared his soulmarks for her to see once again. 

All of the theories she had shared with Eugene and Rapunzel all came tumbling down. At first Cassandra was angry, mad at the world and Varian for daring to be her soulmate. Cassandra went through the five stages of grief quickly before dropping to her knees in front of Varian.

She gently removed his goggles. Varian looked up quickly and snatched them back. Cassandra merely looked at him before she took his right hand again. Varian watched as she traced the marks with a cold finger. She retracted the armor from her hand and her ankle. Cassandra ignored Varian’s confused face and pulled aside her pant leg. Varian gasped in shock as he beheld the matching soulmarks as well as his own. 

Varian sat in silence as Cassandra sharpened one of her left fingers and sliced over the scar on her palm. Varian watched numb as she cut his own palm and pressed their cuts together. 

Cassandra and Varian experienced the act of touching blood in seconds. The two soulmates traveled through the opposite’s life, providing comfort and love whenever they appeared. 

Varian snapped backwards, smacking his throbbing head against the wall. Cassandra rolled back onto her heels, smiling so wide. Varian watched her trace her soulmark on Varian hand with a bloodied finger.

“I found you.” Cassandra murmured with wide eyes. “You’re here.” Cassandra shook with delighted emotions. Varian let out a low whine as Cassandra’s grip on his hand tightened. “I never would have thought, I never could have guessed. No wonder you didn’t try harder to stop me! You knew what I was going through. You know what I am going through.” Cassandra’s eyes sparkled as she thought over the possibilities presented before her.

“Okay. This is amazing. Imagine what we can do together!” Cassandra crowed, dragging Varian’s bag over to him. She withdrew the scroll and pressed it into his hands. Varian watched her celebrate. He snuck a piece of charcoal out of a pocket, frantically writing down the translated words. Varian furrowed his brow as he tried to think up a way to give it to Rapunzel. 

Rapunzel’s chameleon crawled into the main throne room. Cassandra felt her grin drop sharply as she snatched up the pet, caging him in her hands. Varian sucked in a breath as Cassandra hid them with a large rock when Rapunzel and Eugene burst into the room.

Rapunzel called out softly for Pascal. Cassandra dropped the rock, stalking forward, dragging Varian forward. Rapunzel glared at her, picking up the chameleon after Cassandra let him go. Varian tried to meet Eugene’s eye but they didn’t even bother looking at him. 

“Rapunzel. You’ll never guess who I just found.” Cassandra smiled, tugging on Varian’s hand as she held on tighter. Varian felt his eyes widen in time with Rapunzel’s. 

Cassandra flipped the hand in her grasp over, tilting it so Eugene and Rapunzel could see the marks written there. Rapunzel looked absolutely shocked. Eugene spluttered, his face darkening as he saw the bloodstained cloth around Varian’s wrists. 

“Varian,” Rapunzel started, bringing her gaze to her Baby, her purple goggles. She felt tears gather in her eyes as Rapunzel took in Varian’s expression. The others turned to watch Varian. He was blank faced, clutching the scroll tightly in his other hand.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Cassandra cupped his chin possessively, tilting his face up to meet her eyes. “This must hurt you so much. I wish I could have told you more privately. We can always scrape off their marks later, Goggles.” Cassandra said with a glint in her eyes. They would both remove Rapunzel and Eugene’s soulmarks. They only need each other. 

Varian snatched his hand back, stumbling away from her with wide eyes. Cassandra cursed her boldness. Varian had a terrible experience with his mother’s passing. She shouldn’t have brought it up before he was ready. 

“What are you talking about?” Rapunzel cried. “You can’t claim him and tell Varian what to do! He’s his own person.” 

“Varian is mine. I will not share with anyone. I am taking what’s mine, Rapunzel. You can’t stop me.” Cassandra moved forward to take Varian’s hand again when a lock of blonde hair wrapped around her wrist. “Oh I see. Fine, when I win, I’m taking Varian and we’re leaving.” 

Cassandra and Rapunzel clashed, Cassandra all on offense while Rapunzel evaded and dodged. The Moonstone and the Sundrop fought, the magic in the air was hair-raising as Eugene made his way over to the shell-shocked Varian. Cassandra had Rapunzel pinned against the wall. Varian snapped into action, tossing the scroll over to Rapunzel with a scream. 

“USE IT!” Varian stumbled as Rapunzel began to cite the incantation, watching as Rapunzel lifted off the ground. He let out a small scream as Cassandra’s hand wrapped harshly around his bandaged wrist as she yanked him away from Eugene and into her chest. The resulting wave of power that Rapunzel let out threw both soulmates over the edge.

Rapunzel screamed, rushing to the edge with Eugene to watch their soulmates fall. Varian was separated from Cassandra during the fall. Cassandra caught herself with a rock, landing with a hiss. She looked around wildly for Varian, finding him in Lance’s arms, covered in soot and tears. Cassandra allowed herself a breath of relief of seeing him alive before Rapunzel blocked her vision. 

Rapunzel swept Varian into a hug, effectively hiding him from Cassandra’s view, sprinting away from the enraged woman with her third soulmate in her arms. 

\-----------

Varian was quiet on the ride back, trembling between Eugene and Rapunzel. The two adults shared a look over Varian’s head, full of a strange mix of anger and grief. Varian took in a shuddering breath before bursting into sobs. Rapunzel reacted first, pulling the boy into a hug. Eugene wrapped his arms around both of them. Varian told them through stuttering breaths and large sobs about the forced blood touching. Varian hadn’t been able to give his consent to the experience, having it thrust upon him with Cassandra’s eagerness. 

The three soulmates settled in Rapunzel’s room after Varian had gotten proper care for his injuries. They cuddled together on the Princess’s bed. Varian was silent before he spoke.

“I had my suspicions.” Rapunzel squeezed the alchemist tighter. “I had figured it out that you were Sunshine but after the storm, when you hadn’t come to help me, I dismissed it. I should have pushed but I didn’t, I didn’t-”

“Want to believe it.” Rapunzel finished quietly. Varian nodded, ducking his head, letting his bangs fall into his face to hide his tears. Rapunzel tucked his black locks behind his ears, pressing a kiss against his head, and using her thumbs to brush away his tears. Her actions made Varian cry harder. 

“How is this going to work out? It’s not going to go back to how it was with Cass. I don’t think she’s going to stop coming for me.” Varian asked, looking up into Eugene’s eyes. Eugene ran his fingers through Varian’s hair in thought. 

“I don’t know buddy. I don’t know.” At Varian’s despondent look, Eugene continued. “I do know that you’re moving to the castle now.” Rapunzel smiled.

“Absolutely. You’ll be safe here in the capital and we’ll get a chance to spend time together. We’ll worry about Cassandra tomorrow. For now, let’s just stay together.” Rapunzel responded, tugging Varian closer as she buried her face in his hair. Eugene held them as their breaths evened out together. 

There was still someone missing, but it’ll do for now. Just for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're done! Phew, I really wanted to try my hand at a soulmate au and I think I did pretty okay! This story is completely platonic. No romance intended at all.


End file.
